High schools undergoing $3 million in renovations

More than $3 million in work at Douglas County’s two major high schools was approved by Douglas County School Board trustees on March 12.

George Whittell High School is getting long-awaited upgrades to its restrooms, locker rooms and gymnasium, along with Douglas High School’s more than 30-year old stadium, according to Douglas County School District Facilities Director Phil Demus.

Trustees approved the guaranteed maximum price contract of $2.17 million for the Whittell project to upgrade the restrooms, locker rooms and the gymnasium. They also approved a $1.1 million contract for work on the Douglas High School stadium, including restrooms, bleachers, foundation and electrical.

“This basically looks to me like George Whittell High School is run down, and stuff needs to be done to maintain it,” said Trustee Doug Englekirk.

Demus said the renovations planned at Whittell are to bring the restrooms and locker rooms to ADA standard compliance and to upgrade the gymnasium floor and bleachers.

“The renovations for the locker rooms and restrooms badly need to be done first to keep the school open,” said Demus. “The girls’ locker rooms are original from the 1960s and the other was a remodel from the 1980s, so, if we want to stay in compliance, we have to bring all the restrooms to ADA standards.”

ADA compliance would mean meeting the standard for accessible design, creating turning space, doors and provided elements.  Each of the restrooms will need to eliminate a toilet or urinal to create enough space for a stall with grab bars and at least 60 inches of turning space.  The restroom space must be entirely accessible to all people with disabilities.   

The gymnasium and bleachers at the school are also old and run down which could create a potential safety risk.

“I know they are really old and these are probably minimal improvements as far as the entire facility is concerned, but we have kids going to school there and in my opinion as a board member, this needs to be done,” said Trustee Carey Kangas.

Demus said the renovations to Whittell has been planned and budgeted for since he became the district’s facility director over four years ago.

“I think if we’re going to do this and we have the funds we should go ahead with it,” said Demus. “I think this whole package is important.  If we don’t do it now, it will be harder to get that money and it will cost more in another 3-5 years.”

At Douglas High, Demus said the stadium concession stand and restrooms were built in the 1980s and are in dire need of work.

“The partitions in the restrooms are wood which is illegal, for one thing, but everything in the restrooms needs to be brought up to new and be ADA compliant,” said Demus.

Demus also said the electrical throughout the stadium is original and the transformers and exterior breaker panels need to be replaced.

“We had a power outage last year during a homecoming football game and they had to reschedule to Saturday. It was a major ordeal for hundreds of football fans. Faculty and students had to postpone the homecoming dance as well,” said Demus.

The bleachers are over 30 years old. The foundation underneath is failing, and the concrete footings will need to be replaced.

Work on the Douglas High School Stadium Improvement Project will follow the Big George track meet scheduled for April 6 and is scheduled to conclude June 4. The Whittell improvements are scheduled to start ones school conclude for the summer break on June 17.